Kids
by My0wnlittleworld247
Summary: Kurotsuchi always has one experiment or another going, but though the experiment planned to create artificial life using Reiatsu failed on his end, it worked on Hitsugaya and Kenpachi's... The secret lovers aren't ready for a baby, but they know who are. Ichigo and Chad adopt their child, but 17 years later, the boy is ready to find his own love. Yaoi. MA. (No M-preg involved)
1. Kids

"We shouldn't be-mmph, ah" gasped Hitsugaya, as his mouth was recaptured by the looming man above him "here," he managed breathily.

Kenpachi growled in his throat. Seductive. "But it's more excitin' this way. Look how much more sensitive you are." He observed lewdly, flicking the petite man's nipple, grinning as he shivered, goosebumps spreading quickly along the flesh.

Hitsugaya couldn't deny it. Each touch sent shocks of lust coursing through his veins.

He gasped as a tongue met his neck, tasting the salty flesh. "But what if someone-ah! Someone... sees..." he panted.

"Who's gonna be wanderin' around behind the 12 division's headquarters this time a' night?" He palmed the smaller man's crotch, grinning as it swelled beneath his fingers.

"Kurotsu-ah! chi... taichou..." he panted.

Dislike flashed in Kenpachi's yellow eyes. "Tha' freak ain' gonna leave his goddamned experiments fer a midnight stroll." He breathed, pulling the smaller man's face up to his for a rough kiss.

He growled in the white haired Captain's ear. "More importantly. Don' ever say another man's name at a time like this again. Ya got that, Toushiro?"

His only reply was a muffled grunt as Hitsugaya pulled their lips back together. He gave up. It felt too good to argue semantics.

He slipped his hands beneath the tall man's kimono, parting the fabric until it bared the toned, firm stomach he dreamt about every night. He pulled at the sash, letting the fabric fall away.

The tall man slipped the clothing from his shoulders, letting it pool around his ankles.

Hitsugaya sighed with satisfaction as Kenpachi tore at his clothes. He loved the passion the man exuded in everything he did. It was as though the man embodied his true self, the passion he held locked away in his heart that only ever showed in his large blue eyes. All that he supressed about himself, Kenpachi radiated in shock quantities.

When they were together, he never had to hold his composure. He could be as passionate as he wanted, and the man never blinked an eye.

Kenpachi prodded a large finger against Hitsugaya's opening, grunting with impatience when the fierce young man pulled the finger away and brought it to his mouth. He coated three of the large digits individually before letting the hand trail southward once more.

He clamped a hand over his mouth as the digit pushed inside, ever conscious of their location. Muffled gasps sounded through his nose as his head fell back against the wall he was pushed up against. A hand trailed down to grip his erection, tugging gently to stimulate the tender flesh.

Goosebumps bust over his torso as a second finger was added, the slight sting a distant nagging in his clouded, lust filled mind.

"Zaraki" he purred, his usually icy voice heated as the final finger was added. Fingers clawed at the sturdy back, and he clamped his mouth against his lovers to mute the sounds of pleasure emanating from him.

He pulled the fingers out, slicking his length up with what remained, and pushed inside without a second's pause.

Kenpachi's spiritual pressure weighed down on them, spiking as he began his strong movements.

If Hitsugaya were capable of coherent thought, he would have been grateful for the eye patch that restrained the greater part of Kenpachi's spiritual pressure. Instead he groaned in bliss as his lover's formidable length invaded his most intimate area.

He wrapped his legs around the large man's waist, the dull throb on his hips where Kenpachi held him as distant as the pain in his rear, all pushed away by the intense pleasure that coursed through him with every thrust.

He reached a hand between them, gripping his neglected erection. Kenpachi was close, Hitsugaya could tell from the change in his tempo, from steady to erratic. They'd been together long enough now that he knew the signs.

Kenpachi thrust within his petite lover, the heat encompassing his length enough to throw his mind for a loop. He jerked inside one last time, angling just so as to hit Hitsugaya's sweet spot square on. The smaller man gave a strangled cry as he came between them, ropes of white substance bursting from his length with vigour. Kenpachi let himself go, releasing into his partner.

He caught the puffed man's lips with his teeth, biting playfully before locking their mouths together in a passionate kiss.

As he came down off his high he began registering his surroundings, once again aware that they were behind the 12 division's headquarters. He could feel the fingers that dug into his shoulders, cold like ice against his fevered skin. The warm spring air cooled the sweat that dewed on his back, sending shivers through his body.

"Zaraki" mumbled Hitsugaya, sex muddled brain fighting to keep his thoughts coherent.

"Mm" he grunted, slipping his hand into the others in a private show of affection. "Let's go to bed."

...

"Chad... seriously?" asked Ichigo. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. His brain was unsure, but the warmth that flooded through him at such an idea was too strong to ignore. "You mean like... adopt?"

"Yes, Ichigo." Chad rumbled, "We've been together for five years now, and I want to start a family with you."

Ichigo sat there in shock as he tried to get a handle on his emotions and thoughts at the same time. An endeavour he was finding truly difficult.

He sat for a moment, organising his thoughts. His mind moved to Yuzu and Karin. He had considered them almost like children to him. He loved their antics. He loved the responsibility. He loved their trust in him.

His face broke into a smile, and he met his partner's eyes. "Let's do it. Let's adopt a baby."

...

"Eeeeee!" came a manly squeal. "That's so exciting, congratulations!"

Ichigo snickered, "And here I thought Rukia would be the one to squeal. It really doesn't suit you, Renji.

He jumped as Matsumoto shot through the window he was sitting beside. "I heard a squeal!" she accused, ready for the goss.

"Ichigo and Chad are adopting!" he cried to the busty woman. Her eyes bugged, turning to Ichigo, then Chad, then back to Renji before she too joined him in a squeal.

"Eeeeee! That's so exciting! Congratulations!" she cried, parroting her friend. "Is it a boy or a girl!?"

"We haven't organised it yet" the red head informed the group, "but we're going to do that as soon as we get back to the human world."

"Congratulations," said the white haired Captain as he strode into the room in Matsumoto's wake. "But unfortunately, my Vice-Captain has work to do and can't stay to celebrate," he said, shoving the papers he held into her hands.

She pouted, "but Captia~n!" she complained, quieting when she saw he wasn't going to let up. "Hmph! You'll have to catch me first!" she crooned, jumping to kiss Ichigo and Chad each on the check before flash stepping out of the room once more.

The smaller man followed in hot pursuit, annoyance clear as he scolded his Vice-Captain from afar.

...

Kenpachi grinned as a knock came at his door, knowing full well who it was. He opened it, eagerly pulling the petite man in for a kiss before closing the sliding screen across to hide them. He pushed his tongue inside an all too willing mouth.

After Hitsugaya's hellish day of chasey with his Vice-Captain, he could really use a little Kenpachi to relieve the stress.

They both jumped as a loud knock echoed through the room. The pulled apart, annoyed.

"What?" grunted Kenpachi, as he pulled the paper door open roughly, "The hell d'you want?" he asked when he was met with an eerily familiar smile. Kurotsuchi's full grin widened.

"I just wanted to thank you for your invaluable data," he replied, "and to give you the product of my research. You ought to be thankful, it is not often that I part with such valuable results."

He motioned to the bundle of cloth he held in his arms.

"The fuck're you on about?" grouched the tall man. He had little patience as it was, and the fact that this freak had interrupted him in the middle of important business wasn't helping his mood.

"Captain Hitsugaya, you probably want to hear this as well," he called into the room to the hidden man.

The short man came into view from around the corner, coming to stand next to his lover.

"What?"

"Well you see, I was researching the creation of artificial life through the use of spirit particle compression, and though I was encountering some difficulty producing a... _living_ creature. However, the reiatsu the two of you released Tuesday night were the correct ingredients required for a successful production of a living organism."

He produced the bundle of cloth, pulling a flap of blanket away to reveal a small, white haired baby. The two men paled, blood draining from their faces. Neither spoke, they were too stunned.

The scientist continued, "Usually I would keep the subject for further analysis, however I believe I have learned all I can from this subject, and have no further use for it, so I am returning it to you."

"I... but we can't..." mumbled Hitsugaya, he flicked his eyes up to meet Kenpachi's. The tall man looked as shocked as he felt.

The researcher scowled. "Well, you can accept the child, or you can leave him for me to dispose of..."

The couple grabbed for the child simultaneously, snatching him away from the disturbed Shinigami.

"I'm glad we've come to an agreement. Goodbye." Said Kurotsuchi, closing the door in their faces and walking away.

"What are we going to do?" asked Hitsugaya, never taking his eyes from the child's face.

Kenpachi didn't answer straight away. "I'm not cut out to be a father..." he said past the lump in his throat. "I'm not ready..."

"I'm the same."

"So what should we do?" asked Kenpachi. He didn't like to sound weak, but some situations didn't leave much choice for anything else.

Hitsugaya thought for a moment. It was obvious. If they weren't going to keep the child, they would have to give it away, "but who..." he muttered to himself.

_"Ichigo and Chad are adopting!"_ The red head's voice burst into his thoughts like fireworks. Beautiful, redemption filled fireworks.

He smiled a slow smile. This would be easier than he had initially thought.

...

And 17 years later here we are, mused Ichigo.

He could still hardly believe the events that had led up to the adoption of their only child, Tamotsu.

He chuckled as the lively boy swiped at him. They were sparring, Tamotsu training his skills against hollows.

The boy was like Ichigo and his sisters had been: unable to use any special abilities, but perfectly capable of seeing ghosts and hollows. He'd been learning how to protect himself in case of a hollow attack, as his unusually high spiritual pressure tended to attract the odd hollow here or there.

He blocked the deceptively strong thrust at his midriff, swiping a leg around under his son's leg, toppling him to the ground.

He scowled, bright blue eyes cold as he picked himself off the ground. He had inherited his height and build from the taller of his biological parents, which though he was 17, gave him a much older appearance. His eyes, hair, and manner more closely resembled the shorter of his fathers, though the occasional burst of manic laughter did occur every now and then. His face was a mixture of the two, a chiselled version of Hitsugaya's face, with a stronger jaw.

Above all, something he had inherited from both his parents was his passion in everything he did.

"Come on," grunted Ichigo, "let's go get something to eat" he jerked his head to the porch where Chad sat, watching the spar. The silent giant sat in comfortable silence, his presence known enough without the constant use of his voice.

Ichigo was fidgety as he pulled a sandwich from the plate Chad held. He couldn't keep a smile off his face.

"Why're you looking so creepy, Dad?" asked Tamotsu, casually eyeing his father.

He glanced at his son cheerfully. "We've got friends coming to stay tomorrow. I haven't seen them in ages... I've missed them." He admitted.

It had been too long. Way too long.

It was finally time to set that right.

...

Tamotsu blinked as the doorway revealed a handsome young man towering over a petite woman beside him. He grinned down at him, though their height difference wasn't very large.

"Tamotsu, it's been a long time. I doubt you remember me," said the man cheerfully.

The youth pulled up short, staring into the strong face. He'd been toying with the concept of homosexuality for a while now, but this man gave him a greater reason to believe it applied to him than he had ever had. He swallowed around his tongue, which seemed to have tripled in size as the sight of the red haired God.

"I doubt I could forget such an obstinate hair colour," he replied, smiling at a man he'd always known as his father's best friend.

He hadn't seen this man for at least seven years, but even so, he hadn't changed at all.

"You sure have grown!" commented Rukia cheerfully, sizing up the giant of a boy, "I was expecting you to be shorter..."

"Why? I was never really short when I was younger..."

"Uh, well, you know, genetics and such." Replied Rukia. The moment she'd seen his eyes she'd been instantly suspicious of who the real father was... but the spirit pressure felt undeniably like another certain man she knew. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. So why was she so sure?

She tucked her questions away until she could speak with Ichigo alone.

Ichigo chose that moment to stick his head into the living room, rushing over to greet his friends when he realised they were there.

"Renji! Rukia!" he called, giving them both a man hug. "It's been too long!"

"Way too long! Ya gonna let us in er what?"

Ichigo laughed it off, "Come on, I'll show ya to your rooms."

...

He let his head fall back in bliss, a loud, unrestrained moan tearing from his throat as the large man released inside of him. He let his own load go, streams of hot cum landing on his lean stomach. Panting, they disconnected from each other, leaning in for a final kiss. It was sweet, not demanding.

Hitugaya pulled away and settled himself in his lover's arms, debating whether to bring the question that had been plaguing him for the last few weeks.

"Wha's wrong?" asked Kenpachi. He may look stupid, but he sure was perceptive. "Ya've been acting weird for a while now."

He exhaled. It really was no use hiding it.

"I've been thinking lately..." he began.

"Hm? About?"

"...About... kids..."

Kenpachi didn't respond for a while, before a smile bloomed on his long face.

"I've been waiting for you to say that for a long time now," he said.

"What?"

"Yer still pretty young. I didn' wanna start things too early." He'd felt an oddly maternal sensation ever since he'd taken Yachiru under his wing. It didn't fit with his image, but frankly he didn't give a damn. He didn't live his life according to what other people thought of him.

"...You mean you want kids?" asked Hitsugaya, amazed. He'd expected to be blown out of the water with his question.

"Toushiro," he whispered into the smaller man's ear, which was still sensitive from the sex, "I love you."

The white haired man smiled, leaning his head back on its neck for a kiss, which was quickly obliged.

It was chaste but loving.

When he returned to a less acrobatic position, he broached the next topic on his mind.

"I was also thinking... about our son..."

...

A drop of sweat flew from Chad's curly dark hair as he thrust into his lover. Pants and groans filled the room, joined by the squeaking on the bed as though it protested their activities.

"Chadou", the nickname rolled off the orange haired man's tongue like toffee.

"Ichigo," he rumbled from deep within his chest, the gravelly bedroom voice erotic.

Ichigo gasped as the sensitive bundle of nerves deep within him were hit once again. "God, I love it when you say my name like that."

"I know," Chad replied, "That's why I do it."

He thrust in again, the intense heat radiating from the walls of his lover pushing him over the edge. He let out thick ribbons of cum deep within his partner, reaching a hand to join Ichigo's on his erection.

The smaller man let out a strangled cry as he released, leaving a sticky mess in his wake.

The panted for air, huffing as Chad pulled out of Ichigo. He wrapped the smaller man in his arms, spooning him from behind.

He could hear their heartbeats, still beating erratically against one another.

"You know, we're really lucky to have Tomatsu," commented Ichigo lazily.

"An interesting after sex topic." Observed the gentle giant, amused.

"Shut up." He said with no fire in his voice, "We are."

Chad smiled lazily, "Yes, we are."

"I wonder how Hitsugaya and Kenpachi are going. You think they're still together?" he asked, curious.

The only people that had been told of the pair's secret love were Rangiku, Hinamori, Yachiru, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and finally Ichigo and Chad when it became necessary.

As they'd had very little contact with Seireitei for years because both ends had been busy, they hadn't had the chance to ask. Not that it was any of their business.

"I think they're still together," decided Chad.

"Why? They seem like such an odd couple..."

"Maybe... but then, so do we. If you think about it. Chad observed.

Ichigo thought about it briefly. "You have a good point."

...

"So after that I went to go rescue Rukia from her execution, but Ichigo was in the way, so I had to fight full out against him." They sat in Tamotsu's bedroom, the two men sitting side by side on the bed, Renji deep into his story.

"So then we fought, and it was even, but he got the better of me, and I-" he cut off. "Hey, Tamotsu, you okay? You seem distracted."

"Huh?" the boy snapped back to reality, mildly aware of the blush on his cheeks. "Uh... well... uh... never mind... It's not important."

Renji made a face, "You're kidding me, right? Not important? C'mon, I can keep a secret." He badgered the boy.

"It doesn't matter..." he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Hey, you can tell me. I'm not gonna laugh at you." He promised.

He paused, weighing his options. A sigh. "Fine... I, um... I kinda have something I wanted to tell you anyway..."

"Yeah?"

"I... um... I like you."

Renji paled. "You what?"

"I like you, Renji."

"Uh, haha, how do you mean that?"

The boy grimaced in annoyance, sighing. Why couldn't the man just understand?

He looked up to meet dark eyes, averting them quickly. He took a deep breath, eyes lowered as he lifted his face to Renji's, pressing their lips together softly but firmly.

Renji sat paralysed, at a complete loss at what to do. The youth pulled away awkwardly, their breath mingling as their eyes met once more.

_Shit_

...

"Okay, okay, so what was so important you had to drag us off privately, huh?" asked Ichigo, pouring Chad and Rukia a glass of red each, before joining Chad in the seat opposite his short friend.

The dark haired girl had been fighting tooth and claw for this meeting since she'd first arrived, and finally the day of judgement has arrived. Which judgement however, was yet to be seen.

She took a sip of her wine before placing it on the coffee table before her, turning her full attention to the couple.

"I don't understand how it's possible. It shouldn't be possible, but I can see no other explanation."

Ichigo scowled, "Could you cut to the chase please?" he asked, irritated.

Chad remained his usual, silent self.

Her serious purple eyes roamed over the pair, searching for secrets hidden amongst the folds of their clothes and the wrinkles of their skin.

"Zaraki Kenpachi and Toushiro Hitsugaya!"

...

"'Shiro," grunted Kenpachi affectionately.

The soft morning light filtered in through the curtains, and the birds chirped noisily outside their window.

"Mm?" responded the blue eyes man, rubbing sleep from his eyes tiredly. He was snuggled against the other man, one large arm wrapped around him, holding him close.

"'Ya remember our conversation last night?" asked the giant, the rumble of his voice loud where the small man's ear was pressed against his chest.

Hitsugaya paused. Were they talking about the same conversation? "About kids?"

"Right, that one," affirmed Kenpachi. "Well I've been thinkin'... if we want kids... we need to become..." he struggled to think of an appropriate word.

"Public" finished Hitsugaya for him.

"Heh, see we're already finishing each other's sentences," grinned Kenpachi, earning a wry smile from his unlikely companion.

A little humour to lighten the terrifying realisation.

Hitsugaya didn't respond, rather pressed closer, planting a light kiss to his partner's toned stomach.

Being honest with the general public. It was a terrifying concept. The general public weren't as accepting as those closest to them, but neither of the men were cowards.

It was time.

...

"Zaraki Kenpachi and Toushiro Hitsugaya!" she blurted hastily, filled with a sudden serious vigour as her composure vanished. "Tamotsu! He's their son, right!? He has to be! I mean biologically it makes no sense, but he's practically Hitsugaya's twin! I knew it the moment I saw him-" he took a large breath before continuing, "-but then I was thinking and thinking. Who could the mother be?" she stood up now, pacing the room as she tapped her chin seriously, "I thought maybe Matsumoto or Hinamori, but I couldn't see it, and then BAM! He gave me a look so terrifying! From that angle his face was like a young, blue eyed version of Kenpachi! From then on I saw nothing but similarities."

Back on the couch Ichigo had his head in his palm, eyes closed with effort as he kept from screaming in frustration. Chad sat with his usual composure, but his mind buzzed with uneasiness.

"I kept thinking maybe I was wrong," continued the Shinigami excitedly, "but there's no way. He's their spitting image in more ways than 20! I know I'm right. Tell me I'm right!" She banged her hands on the coffee table, leaning over to stare the two down.

She fell into an expectant silence, waiting for their response.

Ichigo groaned, but let the silence build. Tiredly he pulled his head from his hand. "You weren't supposed to know. No one was."

Rukia's eyes grew wide, a grin slipping over her face. As sure has she had been, a part of her never truly believed she could be right.

"I knew it! How is it possible!?" she demanded, curiosity soaking her tone.

"We have no details," spoke the Hispanic man at last, "all we know is that the 12th division's Captain's experiment caused a child to be born."

"Captain Kurotsuchi, I should have guessed. So how did you two come to be his parents then?"

They paused. It didn't really feel right, sharing the two Captains' secrets, but it was time enough. "At that time, the two were still... secret... come to think of it, are they still secret?" he asked, cutting off his explanation.

"This is the first I'd ever realised they were anything but acquaintances." Answered Rukia, "I'd never have guessed they had a love child!"

"Then I guess things haven't changed. Either way, Hitsugaya had heard of our intention to adopt earlier that day, and they used our choice to their advantage. He approached me about the situation in confidence, and Chad and I agreed to adopt their child.

"Wow... it's all so strange... they don't really suit each other," she mused out loud.

Ichigo thought back to when he'd first heard of the pair's secret relationship. He too had thought it strange, considering their height difference and personalities, but after that he'd payed closer attention. Every glance. Every sideward smile. Every silent conversation. Seeing that, he couldn't think of a couple more suited.

...

Ichigo cracked his back loudly as he sprung free from the cramped car. He pulled at his arms, applying pressure until he felt a satisfying pop from each.

It had been a long car ride, but they were finally there. The Oceanic scenery spread serenely before him. The waves swooshed softly, and the sun filtered through the puffy clouds. It was the perfect day.

They'd been meaning to visit the beach sometime, and as Rukia and Renji were off duty for the next few months. Now seemed like a good time to do it.

Despite the weather, the beach was practically deserted, with only a few stragglers strolling up and down the shores.

He turned his attention to the others.

Renji was muttering something under his breath about the size of their car as he too popped his shoulders.

"Ugh, Renji that's disgusting," cringed Rukia.

"What is? This?" asked Renji, grinning as he pushed the heel of his hand into his spine, several hollow pops echoing through the air.

Rukia grimaced, whacking him with the magazine she held rolled into a cylinder.

"What'd he do wrong?" asked Tamotsu, pulling his fingers one by one, and earning a wack only slightly less painful than Renji's.

The red head smiled, but things were still awkward. Renji had made a messy escape, and nothing had been properly resolved.

"Oi! Ichigo! You didn't raise your kid right, he's turned out like this freak!" called Rukia, half in irritation, half in good humour.

Ichigo chuckled. It was nice to see Tamotsu getting along with his friends so well. He glanced at his tall, godlike lover, a sly smile tugging at his lips. The man was standing in a large pair of board shorts, no shirt covering his tan, well build torso.

Ichigo flicked a glance over his shoulder to see the others were distracted before snaking an arm around a solid waste. He raised his head to Chad's ear. "Do you wanna go find the nearest building to hide behind sometime soon?" he whispered, "and by sometime soon I mean right this second."

He shuddered when Chads tongue slid out to lick the shell of his ear, a deep purr radiating from his chest in agreement.

The two made their escape, tossing a wave to Renji in goodbye before they disappeared around a corner.

Renji scowled. "Seriously? At a time like this?" he muttered. He turned to say something to Rukia, surprised to find she too had disappeared.

He swivelled his head this way and that, searching for their missing comrade.

"She went to go buy a swimsuit." Tamotsu informed the red head.

Renji jumped slightly at the voice, internally scolding himself for doing so. "Oh, uh, right." He mumbled, trying his hardest not to think of that other night, failing terribly.

An awkward, slightly tense atmosphere fell around them, as Renji racked his brains for something to say.

"Uh, let's go for a walk," he suggested finally, not sure what else he could say.

"Sure," replied Tamotsu, making his way down the sandy shore. They stopped at the wet, compact sand, letting the cool water wash over their toes. It was refreshing in the ridiculous heat of the afternoon.

They set a slow pace along the sand, walking aimlessly.

The small talk was painful, each half attempt at conversation being drowned by the awkwardness that enveloped them so thoroughly.

The tall man growled, scowling. _I never used to be this much of a coward,_ he scolded himself.

"Hey, Tamotsu," he said at last. He took a deep breath before looking the kid in the eyes and continuing. "Look, I just think it's better if we clear the air. Y'know, get this out of the way once and for all."

Tamotsu said nothing, but disappointed was clear in his eyes, the smallest sliver of hope hidden in their depths.

"You're seventeen, and I'm... well... old. It just wouldn't be... right... I mean... look, you've gotta go for someone your own age. I'm an old man compared to you!" he chuckled, but the laughter died when he saw Tamotsu's face. "I mean it, Tamotsu, I look like I'm in my twenties, but Shingami... well, we age differently... I'm over sixty years old..."

"I don't care about your age." He said, raising his eyes to meet Renji's squarely, "I don't care if you're a hundred. It won't change how I feel."

Renji gave another sigh, a large hand reaching up to scratch his head uncomfortably. "Don't gimme that look, kid. It wouldn't work. You're smart, you know that. Let's just be friends."

Tamotsu's face dropped. He didn't know what he had expected, but that glimmer of hope had apparently been larger than he had first thought.

"Yeah. Right." He muttered, speeding up. His feet hit the sand hard, legs pumping rhythmically as he headed for an old pier, Renji hurrying to catch up. The sun beat down on their shoulders, sweat glistening over their bodies, soaking the shirts they wore with their bordies.

"Christ, it's hot," grumbled Renji as they made it to the pier. They ducked underneath, the shaded area cool to the touch.

The underneath of the pier was hidden partially by planks of wood that cross hatched to a point of the sides of the wooden structure.

They pulled their soaked shirts off, tossing them aside as they flopped onto the cool sand, puffing as they rejoicing their escape from the sun.

Renji chanced a sideward glance at the boy, eyes roaming over the well-defined boy. He grimaced. For a seventeen year old, he sure didn't look seventeen. He was tall and broad shouldered, with an attractively toned torso.

He looked away, raising his eyes to the damp wood that made up the base of the pier.

"So... what're you studying in school?" he asked, making small talk.

The teen turned to face him, unimpressed. "Who cares?"

"Don't sass me, boy!" Renji shot back amusedly. He grinned as the teen finally smiled, the smile turning into soft laughter as he tried to ignore the red head.

"Did you seriously just say that?" he asked, incredulous.

"Don't pretend you don't love it," smiled Renji, eyes flicking over the youth and back to the pier repeatedly.

Tamotsu supressed a smirk. He could feel Renji's eyes on him, running over his heated flesh with and equally heated gaze.

_If you want me, why don't you do something about it?_ He wondered, frustrated. It was beyond obvious, and Renji already knew he wouldn't be rejected.

Tamotsu ran a hand through his snowy hair, shifting his body subtly. He grinned inwardly as he heard Renji's soft intake of breath.

With a silent smile he arched his back, stretching the muscles teasingly, casually running a hand over his flat abdomen as he relaxed once more.

This was too easy. If he'd known it would be so easy he wouldn't have bothered angsting over it for so long. He turned his eyes to meet Renji's giving a proper smirk when they tore away from his body to meet them, pulling away sharply with chagrin.

Tamotsu sat up, quickly leaning over Renji and pulling their faces close.

Renji gasped, shock clear on his face. He lay stunned, unable to move as the teen closed the distance, reaching a hand to cup Renji's chin, tilting it so that their mouths fit together properly.

_God, this is too much_, thought Renji, letting his control slip away. _Who needs self-control anyway?_

He wrapped his arms around Tamotsu's neck, opening his mouth into the kiss. He pushed his tongue forward, gratified when it was the teen's turn to be shocked.

In one quick move he twisted, flipping the once again shocked boy onto his back, reversing their positions.

"Tamotsu," he whispered into the kiss, lips smacking wetly with each kiss. Their tongues pressed against each other, saliva escaping their mouths to trail down the younger man's face.

Muffled groans sounded in the warm air, pants breaking their lip lock at intervals as their lungs demanded air. Renji pulled away, brown eyes locked with blue. Guilt clenched his stomach, as the reality of what he was doing set in, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Oh my God!" came a voice from the side, "Renji!"

Two stunned sets of eyes turned to find Rukia gaping at them, wide eyed.

_Shit._

"Chad, is it just me, or was that car ride back a little... tense?" asked Ichigo, lying next to his partner as they prepared to sleep.

The large man nodded gravely. His mind had been in a similar train of thought.

"You don't suppose they saw us?" wondered Ichigo. He couldn't think of any other explanation.

"It's possible, but I doubt it." Replied Chad, "If they had seen us they would have been making jokes."

"...You have a good point..." muttered Ichigo.

"Ichigo," rumbled the giant, "Don't worry it too much. If it's important, Rukia or Renji will come to us." He advised the uneasy man.

Another good point. Well at least one of them had common sense.

"Fine, I won't pry," he agreed at last, pressing into the Hispanic man. His eyes turned devilish, "but you can pry all you like."

Chad chuckled, pressing his lips to Ichigo's neck. "Twice in one day? You sure you're up for it?" he asked, teasingly.

"Heh, we're not that old yet!" laughed Ichigo, preparing himself for the next round of mind blowing sex to come.

...

"Renji," she said fiercely, pulling the man's attention away from the magazine he was half reading. "We need to talk about today."

Renji cringed. He'd been dreading this for the last couple of hours.

"I know, okay," he muttered guiltily, "I get it. He's still a kid. I shouldn't have done it. I just-" he let out a frustrated sigh, "I couldn't stop it." He said at last raising his eyes to meet Rukia's.

It wasn't an excuse; nothing could excuse his behaviour, but it was the truth, plain and simple.

"So? What's going on between you two?" she demanded.

"Nothing's going on between us. Look, he... he confessed to me the other night... I turned him down of course, but... I mean, you know my type. He's practically all I ask for in a guy. The only problem is his age, but he looks fucking twenty-five anyway!"

Rukia couldn't supress her smile. "True, he does share several characteristics with Hisagi..." she teased.

The red head turned away, mouth drawn. "It's cruel to bully people, y'know?"

It was her turn to sigh, "Renji, you can't continue with him. You know that, right?"

Renji's face crumpled miserably. "Of course I fucking know that," he mumbled with not heat behind the words.

His eyes were melancholic as he lost himself in thought.

"R...Renji..." whispered Rukia, "Are you... I mean, do you... love him?" she asked, incredulous. They'd only known each other a couple weeks, surely that wasn't possible.

"I... What? No... I mean... I-" he swallowed, "I- ... Don't think so..."

Large purple eyes turned sad. "You do, don't you?"

He could think of nothing to say. _Did he? Maybe... It's was possible... but surely not... but then again..._

The petite woman frowned. She had known Renji for most of her life. She knew him better than anyone else. Because of this, she felt his loneliness like no one else ever could.

In all the years she'd known Renji, he had only ever been infatuated, but never enough to lose his composure. He wasn't the serious type, but he was steady and not easily strung along. Never had she seem him so unsure of himself.

"...It's kind of romantic." She said eventually, igniting the flames in Renji's cheeks.

"Don't say shit like that."

"But it's true. You're in love. A forbidden love at that." She mused, eyes alight. "It's like a romance novel."

"Homosexuality isn't forbidden, dickhead."

"I was referring to the age difference..."

"Oh."

"So what are you going to do?" she asked, curious.

"You said yourself there's nothing I can do. He's too young."

Rukia scowled, whacking the back of his head with her hand. "If you're only after sex then it's wrong, but if it's love... well, you have to fight for it. That the way these things go."

"Are you serious?" he asked his friend. The usually straight laced, level headed woman was being unusually... romantic.

She smiled. Renji didn't need to know about the pile of romance novels that lined the bottom shelf of her bookcase.

"Trust me," she said. "You're talking to an expert."

...

Silence.

A silence so blaringly loud it echoed off the walls.

Renji clenched his jaw, shoulders squared and eyes worried as he prepared for an attack.

_Today's the day I'm going to die._

Ichigo stood frozen in the wake of Renji's confession. "Come again?"

The red head swallowed audibly, never taking his eyes from Ichigo's.

He struggled to find the saliva to continue. He took a breath to answer, but the words died in his throat.

A deep breath, "You heard me."

Ichigo's eyes held a dangerous glint as he stepped forward, grabbing Renji roughly by the collar. "You fucking son of a bitch! What'd you do to my son!?" he demanded fiercely.

"...Renji... what are your intentions toward our son?" asked Chad from behind his partner.

"I..." he trailed off. Even he didn't know his true feelings, let alone his intentions. "I just... I want to be with him..." he braced himself for his next sentence. "As his lover."

"What the fuck-!" Began Ichigo, but Chad cut him off.

"Ichigo, calm down." Came the voice of wisdom, the tall man taking a moment to consider Renji's response. "Renji, correct me if I'm mistaken, but are you in love with our son?"

The red head paled, eyes wide as the words sunk in. That was the second time someone had asked that question.

He turned his eyes to Ichigo, who still held his collar tightly. The orange haired man let go abruptly, pushing away from his friend and moving to stand next to his partner, an anxious hand running through his hair.

"You aren't gonna answer?" he asked irritably.

"I... I think... I think I love him." The red head responded quietly. It had all moved so quickly from friendship to lust that it was hard to tell.

Ichigo's eyes remained hard, but Chad's face morphed into a mask of contentment.

He leant over to whisper in the fiery man's ear. "Ichigo, I believe in Renji's feelings."

"But he... he's just a child! Renji's older than _we_ are!" he spluttered.

"I agree their age difference is troubling, but Ichigo, if it were you in Tamotsu's place, would you give up your love because of something like that?"

"But he's so young! He doesn't know what love is!" continued Ichigo, adamant, but losing to Chad's logic.

"We were younger than him. Younger by two years." He reminded his counterpart, "Have you forgotten those passion filled days already?"

"I..." Ichigo had nothing to say. Ultimately, they had to right to deny Tamotsu his first love. He grit his teeth, eyes scrunched closed before opening them, slumping in defeat.

He pulled away from Chad, where their whispered conversation had taken place, and turned to face his long-time friend.

"If you ever," he said, "_ever _hurt my son, I swear I will come after you with a fiery vengeance."

"And also! He'd still a child! Don't... I mean..."

Renji took the hint. "I won't until he's old enough. I promise."

Ichigo shuddered, and even Chad found goose bumps prickling his arm at the prospect of his son doing such things. Even at an older age the thought was uncomfortable.

...

Tamotsu lay awake, mind buzzing excitedly. A goofy smile was glued to his handsome face.

He knew he shouldn't have been spying, but he deserved to be informed of his own fate. The fact that his parents were willing to accept Renji was mind blowing.

He made a note to thank his taller father in private later on.

Bright eyes slid to the clock which hung on the wall.

12:22 am.

It was late enough.

He slipped from his covers, sucking air through his teeth as his bare feet hit the icy floorboards.

He crept through the house silently, making his way to the room of his would be lover.

He slipped inside, closing the door firmly behind him before creeping up to the sleeping man's bed.

"Renji", he whispered, shaking him by the shoulder gently. "Renji, wake up."

Renji groaned, a large hand rubbing over his face as his sleep fogged mind tried to comprehend what was happening.

"Tamotsu?"

"Renji, I heard it all." The boy admitted, eyes shining in the darkness. He lowered his mouth to Renji's, breath mingling as their lips grazed each other. "I heard what you said."

A large arm slung around his neck, pulling the boy down onto him, their lips pressing together.

The kiss was sweet but passionate, brimming with their unspoken feelings.

The man sat up, pulling Tamotsu into his lap.

Tamotsu reached a timid hand between Renji's legs, fingers running over his length through his boxers.

Renji broke the kiss, panting. "Tamotsu, I don't think this is a good idea. Not now. Not until you're older."

The white haired teen pressed his mouth to the hollow beneath Renji's ear, tongue sneaking out to taste the flesh. "But I want you."

The older man couldn't deny he wanted this also. The fact that he was seventeen was drowned out by his masculine features and strong build.

The teen slipped his hand beneath the elastic of Renji's boxers, ignoring the weak protests that followed.

He curled his fingers around Renji's length, smirking at the heavy laboured breathing the fell from the red head's lips.

His lips sought Renji's once more, tongue slipping into his open mouth. Wet sounds filled the room as Renji responded in turn, pulling the boy closer.

The Shinigami's mind buzzed with a nervous excitement. This was wrong, both legally and morally. And yet, despite that, Renji could hardly find the strength to care.

He gave in to his desires, a primal need seeping into his body.

Tamotsu chafed his hand along the sensitive skin, drawing passionate pants from the man.

Renji needed contact. He needed to be close to Tamotsu in a way they had never been close before.

He slipped his hand into Tamotsu's pyjama pants, pulling his erection from the flannel fabric. The teen gasped as the warmth of Renji's hand mixed with the cold air, leaning his head against Renji's shoulder with a smile as he fought to keep his voice under control.

The red head pulled his boxers down, revealing his erection, still clasped in Tamotsu's hand. He brought their lengths together, pressing them firmly against each other. He wrapped his long fingers around both their lengths and Tamotsu's hand, starting a painfully slow pace.

"Tamotsu..." he whispered into the night.

Tamotsu gave a strained smile, fighting to keep from scrunching his face in pleasure as he spoke. "I love you, Renji."

Sweat misted over their shoulders as the pace picked up, hand sliding over the now sweat slicked lengths.

The white haired boy's head fell back, and he began chanting Renji's name like a mantra.

"Renji... Renji... Renji... Renji... Renji... Renji... Renji..."

"Tamotsu..."

Renji could feel a coil of energy building in his abdomen. A burning pressure that was fighting to escape.

"Tamotsu," he whispered again. He could feel himself nearing the edge, and each restrained moan that fell from the teen's mouth indicated that he wasn't very far away either.

He pulled their mouths together once more, the kiss becoming a messy mix of tongue and breathless pants as they reached their peaks.

Tamotsu clamped a hand over his mouth as he came, head falling back on his shoulders.

Renji followed a tug later, thick ropes of come splattering their half-naked bodies.

He pulled the teen into his arms, ignoring their bodily fluids as he pulled them both into his bed, facing each other. Sleepily he kissed Tamotsu's forehead.

"Renji," the boy whispered, "Don't you want to... you know..." he began, unsure of how to continue. He took hold of the man's hand in his and pulled it to his rear.

"Not yet," came the sleepy response, "you're still too young for that."

"That's what you said about what just happened," commented the boy.

Renji chuckled. "You have a point. But still. Not yet." He said, "I want you to be sure before I do anything like that."

"I'm sure now. I'm not fickle, and I'm not a child." He informed the man, irate.

Renji pulled the young man closer. "Don't be stupid. If I thought you were either of those things what happened today wouldn't have happened at all." He soothed. "But you're still young and free. Don't throw that away just yet."

"...I may not know everything there is to know about love... but I'm sure that I love you." He whispered.

When Renji gave no response, he looked up to find that the red haired man had fallen asleep. He smiled affectionately.

You couldn't win them all.

Snuggling his face into Renji's neck, he closed his eyes, sweet dreams of passionate love making resonating through his brain.

...

"Alright, alright, come in," offered Rukia irritably. A six O'clock wake up on her holiday wasn't exactly her idea of fun.

Usually she would have sent whoever woke her away with a large bruise for their troubles, but something about Renji's manner had her hesitating.

The tall man sat on her bed, fidgeting with the cover nervously.

"Renji? What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly concerned. She'd never seen the man act like this.

The red head swallowed, letting the silence encompass them before he spoke. "I... did something I shouldn't have..." he admitted.

The short woman pursed her lips. "What'd you do?" she asked, though she already had a good idea.

Renji didn't answer, but looked up at her, meeting her eyes for the first time.

"Renji, did you have sex with Tamotsu?" she asked bluntly.

The man gave little response, but shook his head. "I didn't let it get that far."

"But it went further than on the beach?" she asked, her quick mind understanding what had happened as the Shinigami nodded.

She sighed, sitting flopping onto the bed next to him. "But you love him, right?"

"... Yeah... I do."

Rukia considered his option briefly. Keeping them a secret wouldn't be possible, particularly with Ichigo keeping the sharp watch she was sure he would be from now on.

"You need to tell Ichigo and Chad."

"Are you crazy!?" demanded the red head, suddenly alarmed. If Rukia decided to take this into her own hands, he was hollow bait.

"I don't mean in detail." She assured the man, "I just mean... ask to be his boyfriend."

"Ask to be his... boyfriend?" he repeated, the idea slowly sinking into his brain, "You think they'd say yes?"

"I think it's possible." She said. Tamotsu hadn't been the only one spying, and Chad's reaction had her interest piqued.

"It's possible... but not probable?"

"Renji, if you want my opinion, I think it's the only chance you have that won't end up with your dead body being paraded around as a warning to the next."

Renji ran a hand through his hair. Rukia was right. She usually was.

"Fine. I'll do it." He said, preparing for what was most likely the most dangerous mission he would ever have to undertake in his life.

...

"Ichigo, Chad, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Renji had been putting this meeting off all day. Numerous times he had tried to broach the topic, but it always seemed to be a bad setting. He knew he was just procrastinating an unpleasant situation, but like all procrastinations it had to be done eventually.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he followed the Shinigami into the other room.

"What's this about?" He demanded as he closed the door behind him. The orange haired man scowled as Chad's hand rested on his shoulder, but he drowned some of the fire in his voice.

"Alright Renji," he said, this time much more civilly, "What do you want to tell us?"

"Ichigo, Chad... I... I really care about your son." He started.

Ichigo grit his teeth. He'd known this would have to do with his son somehow. He waited for the man to continue.

"And I want your permission to..." he struggled to say the words, "to ask him to be my boyfriend." He said finally.

Ichigo took a step forward, but Chad's hand kept him from moving any closer.

"Come again? You expect us to just be okay with that?"

"Ichigo," Came the deep rumble of Chad's voice. He pulled his partner away from the Shinigami so that they could talk privately.

"Have you forgotten what I said last time?" he asked.

"But he's our son! This is different! That was just forgiving, but to actually give permission is just... it's just... no! I won't do it."

"Ichigo. Think about the situation."

"I _am_ thinking about the situation! _You're_ the one who isn't!" he hissed angrily.

"I am. I also find this a difficult decision to make, but Renji is an honourable man. You have been friends with him for years. In the past you have trusted him with your life, and trusted him to take care of the people you love. This is no different."

"But... but he's way too old, and Tamotsu is way too young..." continued Ichigo. He couldn't let this go without a fight.

"Can you think of a better man to love and support our son?" Asked the usually calm giant, "I believe in Renji's feelings for Tamotsu. Renji is a young looking, attractive man who could have practically anybody he desired. Why would he target the son of a close friend if his feelings weren't real?"

"But even if they are real... Tamotsu should have a normal childhood..."

"He has had as normal a childhood as we could give him, but even so his upbringing has hardly been mundane. To me it seems as though the best way to give him a normal childhood is to allow him to make his own decisions. Let him love who he wishes. Let him learn from his own mistakes."

"But-"

Chad cut him of fiercely. "It is not out role as parents to wrap him in bubble wrap and pretend that he will never feel pain!"

Ichigo's response fell short. This was the most adamant he had ever seen Chad in all the time they has known each other.

He glanced back at the awkward Renji, who was shuffling his feet at the other end of the room.

"So what _is_ our role then? He asked with no fight left in his voice.

"To love him and support him, regardless of the choices he makes."

Ichigo's passionate eyes met Chad's dark, solemn ones. He was right. Of course he was right.

Chad had always been the voice of reason to break through his hot headedness, that's why they worked so well together, despite being such an unlikely pair.

He sighed, reaching up to place a kiss on his counterpart's lips. "Alright. Then let's go support our son."

...

Renji's eyes widened as the verdict was passed.

He was allowed to pursue his love.

"Thank you, Ichigo, Chad," he said, a smile growing on his face, removing all trace of the nervous wreck he had been minute before.

He rushed to give Ichigo a hug before switching to Chad. He stepped away awkwardly. "Uh, sorry, that was weird..."

His smile returned.

"But thank you."

...

Rukia lay on her bed, eyes searching the bare ceiling.

It was all so strange.

It was a pretty messed up situation if she thought about it. Renji was older than her by a few years, which placed him somewhere in the high 60s margin. Of course his body didn't age like a human's would, but that didn't change the actual age difference.

Even so, it was sweet. For Ichigo and Chad to accept Renji the way they did was a heart-warming thing to eavesdrop.

She had never really expected Ichigo to fully agree to it. He had always been so damn head strong and protective of his family.

The Ichigo she had known when they first met would have fought tooth and nail to prevent this situation, but the Ichigo of today had given in with only a little fight.

It made sense. She hadn't seen him for years, and during those years he had risen to the role of parent. He had grown and matured.

He was a changed man.

...

Tamotsu looked up from the video game he was playing when a knock sounded at his door. He set it down, getting up to open the door.

He yelped as two long arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a tight hug and spinning him around.

"What the-!? Renji ?" he squeaked in surprise, "What're you-?" His question was cut off by a pair of lips covering his.

Renji kicked the door closed behind him and pulled away from the youth.

"Tamotsu. Go out with me." He said. It wasn't a question.

The teen's face lit up, a smile brightening his ice blue eyes. He leaned in for another kiss, raining sweet pecks over his lover's mouth.

"I spoke to your parents," said Renji excitedly. "They're fine with it. We can be an open couple." He grinned.

Tamotsu broke away. "You mean you wouldn't have asked me to go out with you if my parent's had refused?" he asked.

He knew he ought to be happy about the situation, but to hear that news was slightly heart breaking.

"What?" asked Renji, thoroughly confused, "I... I made sure. I wanted us to be open, and the only way for that to happen without Ichigo killing me was to ask."

"You're a dickhead." Replied Tamotsu icily.

"Are you kidding me? _You're_ a dickhead!" responded Renji irritated. He had a temper as fiery as Ichigo's that people seemed to forget about.

All he had done for this relationship to happen, and Tamotsu was willing to throw it out the window before it even began?

Tamotsu scowled. "Yeah... I am a dickhead. I'm a fucking idiot." He said, calming down. "Sorry, sometimes I get angry over stupid things." He admitted meekly. He raised his face to Renji's, lips hovering millimetres away. "Am I forgiven?"

The Death God smiled, leaning in to connect their lips.

"Always."

Tamotsu pushed his boyfriend onto his bed, the red haired man landing on his bum with a soft fwump.

The teenager crawled in between his legs, eyeing the large bulge in the other man's jeans. He pulled at the zip, opening the front.

"T-Tamotsu," stuttered Renji, "You don't have to-"

"I want to. Please let me do this." He asked, leaning to lick the semi hard length through the fabric of his boxers.

Renji inhaled sharply at the contact. Well if the boy wanted to do it, surely it couldn't hurt to humour him. Renji was painfully aware that he was making excuses for his lack of self-control, but pushed that thought aside. He had more important things to focus on at the moment.

Tamotsu had pulled the constricting fabric off, Renji's length bobbing before his face.

He licked his lips. Slowly he leaned forward, letting his warm breath wash over the stiff appendage.

Renji gasped as he teased the tip with his tongue, moving to wrap his lips around the head. Carefully he massaged the sensitive flesh with his tongue, a dribble of saliva spilling out to trail downwards.

Renji gasped, one hand clasped over his mouth, the other clenched in the teenager's hair.

He pushed the boy's head lower on his erection, sighing as the hot mouth took more of him in. Tamotsu's hands moved from Renji's bare thighs to massage the area his mouth couldn't reach.

Renji bucked into the boy's mouth, barely holding his hips back. Tamotsu grinned, humming around the sensitive flesh, sending vibrations coursing through him. A strangled gasp pulled from Renji's throat, muffled by the hand over his mouth. The teen pulled his own pants down, slipping them off.

Tamotsu pulled off with a pop, saliva spilling freely. He looked up Renji cheekily, leaning on his back to reveal his naked lower regions.

He pulled his shirt off, enticing Renji to go further.

"Tamotsu, I told you-"

The teen cut him off with a kiss, pressing their erections together roughly.

"And I told you I don't care." He said, breathless. "I want you, Renji. I want you now, and I know you want me too."

He leant back again, pressing two fingers against his opening. He pulled the away, bringing them to his mouth for lubrication before returning them to his anus. He began working the ring of tight muscles.

He could feel Renji's eyes on his and he fingered himself. "Please, Renji."

Renji couldn't take it anymore. The only way to escape this fate was to leave the room, and there was no way he was packing that kind of self-control.

He joined Tamotsu on the ground, adding two finger's to the fray. Slowly he worked his way in, grinning when Tamotsu sighed in satisfaction.

He added a third finger briefly, before losing his patience. His erection still dripped with saliva and pre cum. He lined himself up against the young man's entrance, hissing as he pushed inside the tight heat.

Pleasure radiated throughout him as he began to move, lips lowering to attack the crook of the boy's neck.

Tamotsu groaned as that sensitive bundle of nerves was brushed. Pain laced the pleasure, but he ignored it. The gloriousness of the sex was less about the pleasure, and more about the connection he was feeling. To be as close as physically possible was as intimate as he could imagine.

His breaths came faster, pants falling from his lips. He could feel his release coming closer, the intensified pleasure as he stroked his length, the tight coil of energy building in his stomach.

Letting out a loud moan, Tamotsu's head fell back as he released between them, splattering their torsos with his seed. He slumped lazily, only half aware that Renji still hadn't climaxed.

He bobbed gently, leaning in for a kiss. He startled as he was filled with Renji's hot seed. The sensation was foreign, but deliciously pleasant, in an odd, sticky sort of way.

They disconnected, Renji pulling the younger man into his arms. They lay on the floor, catching their breath, before the long haired man tugged them up onto the bed, pulling the covers around them as they drifted off to sleep.

...

Ichigo scowled as a knock came at the front door. He looked up from beneath his lover as he debated not answering.

"It could be worse. We could have actually begun." Intoned the Hispanic man.

"Hmph," grunted Ichigo, "so for once your teasing is good for something other than torture."

The larger man smiled a very wicked bedroom smile. A smile Ichigo knew no one else had ever seen.

The knock came again, louder this time. Impatient.

"Coming!" called Ichigo, rolling out from under his lover and pulling his shirt back on.

He glanced at his clock on the way out. 9:52pm. Who the fuck was knocking at their door at this hour?

He pulled the door open, shock flashing in his eyes as he saw who stood there. He slammed the door closed, leaning against it. There was only one thing they could be after.

"The fuck's his problem?" Came a muffled voice from outside.

He pulled the door open again, pushing them off his steps and closing it behind him.

"You can't have him back." He said, adamant. "I don't care what your reasons are or anything. He's mine. You can't have him back."

Kenpachi and Hitsugaya stood with identical confused faces, staring at the man who had adopted their baby.

Hitsugaya was the first to come to. "You can calm down, Kurosaki-san. We aren't here to demand you give our son back-"

"Tamotsu," Ichigo interrupted. "His name's Tamotsu."

"... Right. Tamotsu. We aren't asking for him back, but we want to meet him."

"Meet him?" asked Ichigo. "Like... you want to meet him as... his parents?"

...

"Wait here, I'll go get the others," Ichigo said, making his way out of the room. "Tamotsu's at a friend's house tonight, but Chad, Renji, and Rukia are here."

He slipped into the corridor, rushing to find his other half. "Chad," he said, bursting through his bedroom door, "It's Kenpachi and Hitsugaya."

Chad's eyes widened. He was usually good at foreseeing these kinds of events, but this was a surprise.

"What do they want?" He asked. His mind had gone to the same place Ichigo's had.

"They say aren't here to take Tamotsu back," he assured the man, "but they want to meet him."

"Meet him..." mused the large man. "That would have to be up to Tamotsu. Whether he wants to meet his true parents or not."

"I agree, but more importantly... what about the fact that his parents are both male?"

"It will come as a shock, but Tamotsu is clever, and he knows of the supernatural. He will come to understand with time."

Ichigo scowled. What Chad said was true, but that didn't mean Tamotsu would take it well to begin with.

He let the thought go. He didn't have to worry about that until tomorrow.

Chad headed down stairs, while Ichigo fetched Renji and Rukia.

"I knew it!" cried Rukia as she entered the room. "It shouldn't be possible, but I knew it!" she grinned gleefully. Though Ichigo had already explained the situation to her at the beginning of her holiday, it was a different experience to see the two parents together in the flesh.

"I don't understand. What are you two doing here?" asked Renji, mind fluttering with confusion.

"Renji, don't be so dense!" scolded Rukia, "Don't you see any similarities?"

"Uh... between these two?" he asked, pointing to Hitsugaya and Kenpachi. "No, not really."

Before Rukia could continue, Kenpachi interjected. "We're Tamotsu's parents, ya idiot."

The blood drained from Renji's face. Earlier he had though that confessing the truth to Ichigo was the most dangerous mission he would ever undertake. He had been wrong.

He flicked his eyes from one parent to the other. Back and forth. Back and forth.

There was no denying it. Tamotsu was the spitting image of his younger father, with the height, build and strong jaw of his older father.

"How... how is that possible?" he stuttered, more scared than shocked.

"We don't know, but we can blame Captain Kurotsuchi." Answered Hitsugaya.

"What's wrong?" asked Kenpachi, eyeing the pale man. "Ya got a problem with that er something?"

"N-no, I'm just surprised is all." Lied Renji. He had no problem with Tamotsu's parent's being male. Even having male biological parents was okay, strange as it was. Renji's problem was having to explain his relationship with Tamotsu to two men far more skilled in the art of death than he was.

Kenpachi was famous for his love of fighting, and Hitsugaya for his short, no nonsense temper. Surely there was no way they would accept it without a fight.

"Listen," Ichigo said, interrupting a potentially dangerous situation, "whether you get to meet Tamotsu is completely up to him."

"Whatta ya mean?" asked the monster of a man.

"I mean that I'll tell him that his biological parents want to meet him, and he can decide whether he wants to meet you or not. Okay?"

"And if he says no we just leave?" demanded Kenpachi, unsatisfied with that answer.

"Well yeah, I mean-"

"We can compromise," interjected Chad.

"What?" asked Ichigo, wondering where Chad was going with this.

"If Tamotsu doesn't wish to meet his biological parents, then he can meet you as our friends."

There was a murmur of agreement.

"Fine," scowled Ichigo. It was a good compromise, but he was still feeling annoyed.

...

"My biological parents?" he repeated. He'd always been a little curious, of course. It was natural to want to know, but he'd never thought he'd ever be able to find them again.

"Yeah, they contacted us recently saying that they want to meet you." Explained Ichigo, Chad sitting silently supportive next to him on Tamotsu's bed.

The teen looked down, considering his options. He'd never been desperate to find his parents, but with looks as distinct as his, he had wondering about the origins of his characteristics for a long time.

He raised his head, meeting his father's eyes. "Yeah, I think I'd like to meet them."

Ichigo sighed and gave him an oddly strained smile.

"Is that okay with you?" asked the boy. If his parents had a problem with him meeting his biological parents, why had they brought it up in the first place?

"Yeah, of course it is. It's just... it's going to be a bit of a shock to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... you don't have a mother, Tamotsu. You have two fathers."

A pair of delicate white eyebrows rose. "You mean my biological mother died, and my biological father's gay...?"

"No," sighed Ichigo. "Due to an experiment being conducted by a man named Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the head scientist of Soul Society, and Captain of the 12th division, you were created using the reiatsu of two men." He explained.

Tamotsu was speechless. "What?" he asked in disbelief.

Neither Chad nor Ichigo responded.

"What the hell? Is that even possible?" he demanded, suddenly agitated.

"Yes, it's possible. You're proof of it."

"Are you sure it isn't some bullshit they fed you? I mean, it isn't logical."

"You look very much like both of them, and we have no reason to believe they would lie to us." Ichigo replied.

"But I... Oh my God..." he muttered, "I don't understand how it's possible."

"None of us do."

"Tamotsu," rumbled Chad, "do you still want to meet them?" he asked.

The boy faltered. "Are you serious? Of course I still want to meet them. I want to meet them even more now! I just can't believe it..."

"Do you want to meet them now?" Ichigo asked. "They're nearby, waiting for your response. Otherwise we can organise another day-"

"I'll meet them now."

...

All eyes turned to the door as it opened, admitting Ichigo, Chad and Tamotsu to the room.

Kenpachi and Hitsugaya stood immediately, eyes glued to their son, who's eyes were equally glued to them.

"Tamotsu..." came a voice far less childlike than he had been expecting from the smaller of the two. And that's just what he looked like. A child. A serious, in command looking child, but a child all the same. Next to him stood a huge, giant like man, who might have scared him if it weren't for growing up with his tallest father's height. The taller man had an eye patch on one eye, and a scar running down the other.

Looking at his biological parents, he knew what his father had said upstairs was true. He looked like a much taller version of the short man, with a little less boyishness around his face.

"I... I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it." He said at last.

"Hello, Tamotsu," said the shorter man once more, "It's good to finally meet you."

Kenpachi gave a mad smile, "Christ you look like yer Dad's, don'tcha?"

"I... I..." He'd thought he was prepared for this. He thought he was fine with it, but something was wrong. It was too much to take in.

He turned on his heel, walking towards the door. With his back turned he didn't see the faces of anticipation drop to faces of disappointment on the two men.

"Tamotsu!" called Ichigo, running after his son, stopping short when the boy turned to look at him angrily. "Don't you come near me. All these years and you never told me! And when were you going to? Did you _ever _plan on it!?" He demanded, turning tail and running out of the room.

Ichigo started to chase after him, but Renji beat him to it. The orange haired man stopped his chase. Maybe Renji was the best person for the job right now.

"Fuck."

...

"Well that went well." Said Rukia, breaking the awkward silence that had begun to form.

Her comment set the room into action, Ichigo moving to rest his head against Chad's shoulder, Hitsugaya and Kenpachi sitting down to talk quietly.

"Ichigo," started Kenpachi. "Now probably isn't the best time to say this, but we want to be a part of Tamotsu's life."

Ichigo looked at the incredulously. "I dunno about you guys, but from that response it doesn't look like Tamotsu wants to see you guys."

"Oi, Ichigo! He's just in shock!" disagreed Rukia, "He'll come around, he just needs a minute or two. Renji'll calm him down.

"Speaking of such things," said Hitsugaya, suspiciously, "Why was Abarai-san the one to follow him?"

Another silence descended over the room, the Hitsugaya and Kenpachi expectant as they were met with three pairs of blank eyes.

"Uh..."

...

"Go away," Came the reply as Renji knocked on the boy's door.

"It's me," he said, opening the door a crack. "Can I come in?"

Tamotsu didn't reply, so he opened the door, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

"What do you want?" he asked, voice muffled by the bed covers he was hiding beneath.

Renji sat on the bed, next to the lump beneath the sheets. "I wanted to make sure you were okay?"

"Why do you care? Aren't you disgusted that I'm not normal?" demanded the teen angrily. He had seen the man's expression earlier: Hidden terror.

"Are you fucking with me right now?" demanded the Shinigami. "Do I look like that shallow a person to you? I don't use the word love lightly, and I certainly wouldn't use it if I were willing to throw you away because of who your family are!"

Tamotsu peeked his head out from the blankets, meeting Renji's earnest eyes.

"You mean that?" he asked meekly.

"Of course I mean it. And for the record I don't have even a small problem with both your parents being men."

"But it's... unnatural..."

"When we're talking about Kurotsuchi, everything's unnatural." He replied, pulling the blanket down to reveal his boyfriend's face properly. He leant down, capturing his lips. Carefully he slipped in beside the boy, hugging him from behind.

"Renji, did you know? About my biological parents I mean."

"I had no idea. I think Rukia figured it out, but no one kept _me_ in the loop." He muttered, slightly annoyed. Of course it wasn't their secret to tell, but considering his relationship with Tamotsu, he felt he deserved to know as much as Rukia did.

"For the record though, Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Kenpachi are... well, Kenpachi's pretty terrifying, but they're both great Captains."

"They're Captains?" asked the boy, interest piqued. This was the first he'd heard of this.

"You didn't know?" Asked Renji. He'd have thought that was one of the first things he'd have been told. "Yeah, Hitsugaya is Captain of the tenth division; his Vice-Captain is one of my best friends, the next after Ichigo and Rukia. Kenpachi's the Captain of the eleventh division. He's a bit crazy sometimes... Ridiculously strong, and always after a fight. That eye patch he wears actually limits his strength so that fights are more of a challenge for him and he can enjoy them more. He seriously loves fighting, particularly with Ichigo... back in the day your father took Kenpachi on and won. Only just though."

"So what are their skills? I mean Dad has his arm shield, and Dad has his Getsuga Tenshou..."

"Hitsugaya has the strongest ice sword in all of the Gotei 13. His Bankai is a giant ice dragon called Hyourinmaru-"

"An ice dragon!?" he asked, stunned, "how big is it?"

Renji looked up, trying to find a marker. "Taller than this house by a lot."

"But you know, my Bankai is kinda similar. It's a huge snake like dragon made of wood. It's a lot less powerful than Hyourinmaru, but a lot larger."

"Cool... so even though he looks young, he's actually really strong?"

"Yeah, really strong. There are only 13 Captain positions, and sometimes, if a Captain dies or retires, the spot remains empty for lack of someone skilled enough for the role. To be a Captain you have to be seriously strong." He explained.

Tomatsu digested this information in silence, wondering how he should ask the question that was niggling his mind. "So... where are you ranked?" he asked.

Renji grinned, amused at the caution in his tone. "I'm the Vice-Captain of the sixth squad, and Rukia's the Lieutenant of the 13th division."

"Are the divisions a ranking system? Like first division is best?" he asked, curious.

"Nah, some divisions have specialties, such as the fourth division is the medical division, and twelfth division is in charge of science, but apart from that it's just the ranking from 10: Captain, Vice-Captain, Lieutenant, fourth seat, fifth seat, and so on."

"I see. Tell me more about Kenpachi. What's his Bankai?"

"He doesn't have one. He doesn't even have a Shikai. He never wanted one. He has his reasons I guess, but I'm not in the loop enough to know about it. He has incredibly high spiritual pressure, more than is plausible really, some of which is locked away by that eye patch, like I said. Oh! And he has bells in his hair to give other people an advantage. Seriously, fighting is just a game to him, he does it all for fun."

"He sounds scary..." commented the boy. Though he'd seemed friendly enough before.

"He is... but then my Captain seems scary, while is really just a loyal, kinda uptight man... looks can be deceiving and all that."

"Is that all you know about my real fathers?" asked Tamotsu. He had never asked about Shinigami much beyond their basic system. It had never been important to him. Now though he was finding it all fascinating.

"I'm not really that close to Hitsugaya or Kenpachi... but Ichigo has some crazy stories behind him if you wanna hear. When Ichigo was fifteen, Rukia was taken to be executed by Soul Society for giving him her Shinigami powers-"

"You can do that?"

"You can, but it's illegal. Punishable by death." Renji explained gravely. "So anyway, Rukia's being held captive in Soul Society, so Ichigo, feeling guilty, gets together all his power toting friends, about..." he started counting on his fingers, "three others? I think. So they break into Soul Society, and they had to fight a bunch of Captains and Vice-Captain. Ichigo and I fought-"

"I remember you telling me something about this ages ago. Why were you trying to stop him from saving Rukia?"

"Uh... well, no... It's a little complicated. Rukia and I were childhood friends, so I was trying to... I dunno, be the one to save her, instead of some human who's stolen her powers. Anyway, Ichigo beat me, and moved on to fight Kenpachi. He beat Kenpachi in the end, but only just. So then he went on to- Tamotsu? Hey, are you awake?" he asked the boy, an amused laugh breaking through his lips as he realised the teen had fallen asleep.

He smiled guiltily. He was in love with a child. A child that would throw tantrums, and fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. And yet one day, that child would become a man, and when he did, Renji would be there to see it.

...

"What do you mean, 'He should tell us himself'?" asked Hitsugaya, icily.

"It isn't our confession to make," replied Chad, solemnly.

"The hell it isn't! If there's a secret regarding our son then we have a right to know!" insisted Kenpachi, irate.

Ichigo sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "He'll tell you. Just wait until then."

...

Tamotsu woke to find himself precariously close to the edge of the bed, a heavy arm wrapped around him. He smiled when he found Renji's sleep slackened face.

"Move over, would'ya?" he asked, shoving the sleeping man gently.

"Huh..?" slurred the Shinigami, as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. He yelped as an elbow dug into his ribs, jumping away from the source of pain.

"You were squishing me right to the edge," said the teen with little remorse.

"Heh, sorry," muttered Renji, "I guess I just wanted to get closer and closer to you."

"That's a bit weird." said Tamotsu, shaking his head.

"Yeah, well you're a bit weird, so shush." came the retort.

The lay there in comfortable silence, both thinking back to the night before, but for very different reasons.

"Renji, you never finished your story. I want to hear more about Soul Society."

"Well, I told you quite a bit, why don't you ask Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Kenpachi about the rest?" he ventured. "haha, that's a scary face!" he chuckled when he looked at the boy.

"But I mean... it's a bit weird, isn't it?"

"Well sure, but y'know, your adoptive parents are both male too, so it's not that big a difference."

"Are they sticking around?" he asked.

Renji wasn't sure how much he should say. _Well the kid has to find out sometime. _

"Tamotsu... they want to be a larger part of your life." He admitted, stopping himself from laughing at the look of shock on the boy's face.

"What!?" he demanded. "You mean... they're not gonna _tell _people, are they?"

"I doubt it. And they aren't moving in or anything. They have jobs and lives in Soul Society after all. They just want to visit every now and then. Keep in contact, y'know?"

Tamotsu stared at the pillow that was cushioning his head. He pulled Renji's arm around him tighter. "...Do you think I should?"

Renji paused, considering his answers, "Yeah. I do. If it were me, I'd want to see my son every now and then."

"But they didn't want me when I was born."

_Ah, the age old adopted child problem._ "Well... they're both men... and I don't think they're open about their sexuality. This is the first I've heard of it. If you were born using scientific processes that they weren't aware of... well, it would have been... too soon, maybe?" He mulled the possibilities of their responses over in his mind. "They were probably scared. They certainly never would have expected to have a child."

Tamotsu sighed in defeat. "... Alright. I'll give them a chance. Only because you want me to though."

Renji smiled in the dim light of the earliest hours of the day, pressing a chaste kiss to Tamotsu's shoulder.

"I love you," he whispered, smiling when the boy turned to face him, snuggling into his chest.

"I love you too."

...

Renji pulled away from the sleeping boy slowly. Tamotsu had fallen asleep again, but Renji had never quite managed. He slipped out of the covers, relieved when he escaped without waking the teen.

He padded out of the room silently, his hair a tangled mess about his shoulders.

Turning a corner he entered the main part of the house, where Kenpachi, Hitsugaya, Ichigo, Chad, and Rukia were all sitting at the table eating cereal.

All eyes turned to him, expectant.

"So I hear ya've got a confession to make," commented Kenpachi causally.

"Uh... what?" asked Renji, confused.

"To do with our son," prompted the shorter Captain.

Renji paled, all previous confusion turning to terror. He swallowed thickly. "Uh, haha, why do you say that?"

"Cut the crap, Abarai." Said Hitsugaya fiercely. "Explain to us what this secret that no one else will explain is."

"I..." Renji steeled himself for an attack, hand slipping into his pocket and grasping the little blue pill that would transfer another soul into this body. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm in love with Tamotsu."

The room was silent, broken only by the scraping of chairs as the two Captains stood, the others standing also, preparing for an attack.

"You son of a bitch." Said Kenpachi, walking toward the Vice-Captain, "What have you been doing to my son!?" he demanded.

"N-nothing!" he lied, "I won't do anything like that just yet, I'm waiting for him to grow up and be ready." Renji said, trying his hardest not to look as terrified as he felt. It wasn't working.

Renji pulled his soul pill out, hidden but ready to use. Ichigo gripped his Substitute Shinigami badge tightly, holding it near his leg, ready to use at any moment.

"Kenpachi-san," Chad said, breaking the thick silence that had begun to form. "I understand how you feel. Ichigo and I experienced the same doubt, but we believe Renji to be sincere."

"It's true." Agreed Ichigo, "I still have difficulty accepting it, but Renji... I mean the only issue I have is the age difference, apart from that he's probably the best man we could ask for our son."

Kenpachi relaxed his shoulders, calling off the offensive action.

"You sicken me," he spat, his visible eye glaring holes into Renji. He turned on his heel and sat back down at the kitchen table.

Hitsugaya said nothing, but his eyes were hostile.

_Well at least they didn't kill me_, thought Renji gratefully, looking at the positives.

"So... um..." began Renji, knowing he was treading thin ice. "Does that mean... do I have your permission to continue dating your son?" he asked.

"We've already given our assent." Chad informed the men.

The pair looked at Renji with disdain, a newfound dislike shining in their eyes.

"Unlike you, we're not friends with Abarai, so our judgement isn't clouded." said Kenpachi harshly.

Hitsugaya continued. "Abarai, you haven't got my consent, I'm ashamed of you. However, it appears you don't need it. You have Ichigo's and Chad's. Short of killing you, there isn't much we can do, and I don't believe that killing you would be a good first step to meeting our son properly." He informed the man.

"Our main goal is to get to know our son." Kenpachi agreed. "Your death doesn't fit well with that."

"Remember that. It's the only reason you're still alive."

...

Tamotsu cringed as the first few knocks met with his door. He had heard them coming up the steps, and had been expecting them.

He pulled the door open reluctantly to reveal his four fathers.

"How is it possible for two men to have a baby?" his first question shot out, like a rabbit on fire.

"We aren't sure of the details ourselves. All we know is that it was a result of our reiatsu being used in an experiment by the Captain of the twelfth division." Explained Hitsugaya solemnly.

"Why didn't you keep me?" he asked next, expectant.

"Ya wouldn't understand," said Kenpachi. "What it's like to have such a huge responsibility before you're ready."

"We were never prepared for anything like this to happen. We're both men, so we didn't even believe it to be possible, let alone a reality that we would have to face."

"Tamotsu, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," interjected Ichigo, earning an icy stare. He scowled in return. Nothing was going to stop him from giving Tamotsu an opening to escape if he needed it.

"I'm fine. But Dads, you two can go. I want to talk with Kenpachi and Hitsugaya alone." He said, surprising everyone.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm certain." He replied.

Reluctantly Ichigo peeled himself away. "We'll be down stairs if you need us," he offered, before turning to climb down the stairs.

Tamotsu moved away from his door, inviting the two Captains into his room.

"So, are you two a couple?" he asked, curious.

The two men looked at each other, deciding what to say. "We became a proper couple not long after you were... uh, born... but because of prejudices throughout Soul Society we kept it a secret from most."

"Who did you tell?"

"Well, you're parents, when we asked them to adopt you." Began Hitsugaya, "and Matsumoto, my Vice-Captain, and Hinamori, my closest friend."

"I told my Vice-Captain, my Lieutenant, and my fifth seat." said Kenpachi. "We decided it was stupid to go telling everyone things they didn't need to know."

Tamotsu digested this information. He still had a lot more questions to ask, and it was finally time to get some answers.

...

"Why didn't you tell me!?" demanded the red head, clinging to the petite woman's dress. "I could have prepared myself!"

Rukia said nothing, soothing the distressed man as best she could. "You know for a scary looking guy you sure are close to crying." She commented, noting the mist in his eyes.

"Shut up!" he cried, indignant, "They could have _killed_ me!"

Ichigo and Chad sat in the opposite corner of the room, one eye on their friends as they talked quietly.

Ichigo looked at his watch, scowling. "They've been up there a long time."

...

Tamotsu quietened as his last question was answered, and the room fell into silence.

Kenpachi broke it. "So... you and Renji, huh?"

Tamotsu paled, puffing up his chest as he stared his parents down.

"You have no right to interfere." he said defiantly. "You may be my parents, but that doesn't give you the right to tear apart my relationship!"

Kenpachi growled low in his throat. He was conflicted. Tamotsu seemed to be happy, and that was what was important, but he was young. He still had much to learn about love.

"We aren't tryna end yer relationship, Tamotsu." He said quietly. "We just wanna make sure that you know what you're doing. You look like you've got a good head on those shoulders. Are ya using it right?"

"I'm using it fine." He replied, guarded.

Hitsugaya tried a new approach, changing the subject. "We won't try to interfere with you and Renji, but we were hoping to stay in contact with you in the future. Would that be alright?" he asked, carefully, ever aware of Tamotsu's earlier reaction.

"...As long as you don't try to interfere then that's okay." decided the teen finally.

The pair smiled. "Thank you," said Hitsugaya, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. I look forward to getting to know you better in the future." He said, moving to stand outside Tamotsu's bedroom with Kenpachi, talking through the open doorway.

"Don't thank me," replied the white haired boy. "Thank Renji. He's the one who convinced me." He said, closing the door in the men's faces, leaving them alone to struggle with this new information.

...

The pair waved goodbye to the group, smiling at Tamotsu as they left Ichigo's house. They were half way down the garden path when Renji came bursting out of the house after them.

"Captain Hitsugaya, Captain Kenpachi, I want to tell you something!" he announced as he caught up to them.

"What's that?" asked Kenpachi.

Renji stood up straight, shoulders squared as he looked them in the eyes.

"I am dead serious about Tamotsu. I love him. Please give me your consent to date him."

The Captains gave each other a look, the fact that Renji was the reason their son was talking to them in the front of their minds.

Kenpachi took a step forward, resting a heavy hand on Renji's shoulder and leaning down.

"If I find you're manipulating Tamotsu, I will hunt you down and break every bone in your body." He said, pulling away.

He sighed, before grudgingly giving a smile to his son's boyfriend.

"You'd better treat him well."

...

The end! (Ending 1)

That was a request fic for Henka-chan. I hope you enjoyed it!

It was out a lot earlier than expected because I was feeling really in the zone for this fic, so I pushed all my other requests aside in favour of writing what I most felt like. I'm sorry if you're waiting for another chapter of a different fic, that's just how it is.

Please tell me what you thought of the ending. I was planning an epilogue, but I felt this open ended ending worked well enough. I'd love to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading! :D


	2. Epilogue

Hitsugaya scowled as he eyed the people around them, blatantly staring, mouths agape; Kenpachi had a psychotic smile glued to his face, their hands clasped in a lover's hold.

Hand in hand they walked through Soul Society, making a statement.

For the first time since they'd met, they were a couple. A true couple.

Bystanders remained silent as the Captains passed. Most wore masks of shock, while others sneered with disgust. No one challenged their authority.

They could feel the reiatsu of their comrades. A silent show of support.

"I bet they're smiling like idiots," commented Hitsugaya.

"Probably. I know I am," grinned the large man, warmth shining in his eyes as he stared at his partner.

From afar Tamotsu watched his parents, awe in his eyes.

_They're so brave_. He thought. _To risk their reputation for the sake of love. _He couldn't imagine being a secret for so long, telling all those judgemental people as though they had a right to know.

A smile pulled at his lips. His parents were actually pretty cool.

Renji reached down to clasp the boy's hand, secure in the privacy the tucked away street provided. "One day that could be us." He whispered.

Tamotsu's breath hitched in his throat. He looked up at his lover, lips parted in surprise. "You mean that?" he asked.

Renji smiled, "I've never meant anything more in my life."

The yelped as the white haired boy pulled him into a crushing his, pressing their lips together.

Ichigo sighed as he watched his best friend embrace his son, having scoped the best angle to do so from moment they set off.

Chad wrapped his arms around him from behind, resting his head on top of Ichigo's.

"We're going to have to get used to seeing them kiss." He rumbled, slightly tense as he forced himself not to intercede.

Ichigo turned around in those large arms, snuggling his face into Chad's neck. "I don't wanna." He said playfully.

Twin smiles bloomed on their faces as he lifted his head for a kiss. His son was growing up, and that was a fact he needed to accept.

From atop a hill Rukia had the optimal view of all three couples. She sat with Matsumoto, enjoying the view. "You know I just realised something." She said to her busty friend. "I'm surrounded by gay men."

She paused for dramatic effect, lips curving into a devilish smile. "And I love it."

...

40 years later...

"Do you remember?" asked Renji as he sat on a bench with Tamotsu in Seireitei central. The 57 year old man glanced at his lover, who looked but ten years older than they day they'd met.

"You ask that as though I could ever forget." He responded with a smile.

They each fell into their respective memories, reliving the day they had clasped hands and walked the path of the two Captains.

They weren't the only ones. Since that day, homosexual lovers had used that route as a form of confession. They followed in the footsteps of the unlikely couple, starting at Seireitei central, and hand in hand, walking through each division until they came full circle.

"For two scary looking men, they sure did start a romantic tradition." The red head said with a smile.

The white haired man smirked, laughter in his eyes. "For one stupid looking man, you sure do love this romantic tradition."

"That doesn't even work," muttered the older man.

His amused smile turned sweet as he slipped his fingers through Tamotsu's.

The white haired man stared at their hands, young mixed with old. "It's not fair that you get to look like a young man forever," he complained. When he'd started visibly aging he's been worried, but Renji seemed blind to it all.

Renji leaned down to kiss the man's head. "I'm older than you by more than a couple years," he reminded the man, knowing what he really meant. "Besides, I think you're pretty fucking sexy for an old man," he jibed, grinning.

Tamotsu leaned his head against Renji's shoulder, ignoring the looks from passers-by.

"Tamotsu," said the red head seriously, I don't care how old you ever grow. I love you," Whispered Renji.

"I know." Replied the white haired man, a satisfied smile upon his lips, "Because you're different to the rest." He said.

"That's why I love _you_."

...

The end. (Ending 2)

Aww, fluff and sappy shiz.

Please tell me what you thought, and whether you liked ending one or two better. Thanks :)

And Henka-Chan, I hope this lives up to your expectations. Thanks for requesting!


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